Ukip's Mark Reckless accuses Nigel Farage of EU immigration U-turn

Ukip MP Mark Reckless has accused his new party leader of a policy U-turn on immigration - within a day of being elected.

Former Tory Mr Reckless sparked a row on Tuesday when he suggested EU migrants may have to leave the UK if Britain leaves the European Union.

The Rochester and Strood MP then said Ukip leader Nigel Farage had changed his party's line after the controversy.

He told the Times: "The policy changed on Wednesday and I'm a bit sore about how I sort of came out of that.

"Until Nigel changed it on Wednesday, the policy of the party was everyone can stay for the transitional period, no doubt about that, that there would then be a permanent arrangement which would be part of the EU negotiation."

Mr Farage suggested after his colleague's comments that Mr Reckless was referring to a "transitional period" between a vote to leave the EU and actual withdrawal when he suggested migrants could be told to leave the UK.

The fallout between the two men comes as Mr Farage said more Tory or Labour MPs could defect after Ukip won its second MP.

Mr Farage said he had been in talks with MPs from both sides and disgruntled backbenchers would now be crunching the numbers following the Rochester and Strood by-election to work out if they should jump ship.

Ukip's first directly-elected MP, Douglas Carswell, predicted the party could win "dozens" more seats and suggested it could replace Labour as the main opposition.

Conservative Chief Whip Michael Gove insisted he remained "100 per cent certain" there would be no more defections to Ukip.

But Leader of the Commons William Hague sounded less sure, saying: "I don't have a crystal ball about what every MP will do."

And Labour leader Ed Miliband admitted: "We know we have got a challenge in relation to Ukip", adding: "It's a challenge I'm determined to meet."